International Crimes Tribunal rejects ZI Khan Panna's plea to represent fugitive Hasina
The tribunal noted that the state has already appointed Supreme Court lawyer Amir Hossain to represent Sheikh Hasina
The International Crimes Tribunal-1 has rejected senior lawyer ZI Khan Panna's application to represent ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina, who has fled to India, in a case over crimes against humanity committed during the July Uprising.
"The train has already left the station; there is no way to board it by informing the station master," the tribunal said today (12 August), in response to the petition.
The tribunal noted that the state has already appointed Supreme Court lawyer Amir Hossain to represent Sheikh Hasina.
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"At this stage of the case, there is no opportunity to appoint a new lawyer for a fugitive accused," it added.
Earlier, ZI Khan Panna had filed an application seeking to defend Sheikh Hasina in the case.
After the tribunal hearing, senior prosecutor Mizanul Islam told reporters that ZI Khan Panna applied through a lawyer named Naznin Nahar to represent fugitive Sheikh Hasina legally (in the ongoing case) before the tribunal.
The tribunal stated that there is no legal provision for such a request. The authority to appoint a lawyer on behalf of an absconding accused lies solely with the tribunal.
Legally, ZI Khan Panna cannot act as a lawyer for Hasina. Therefore, the tribunal rejected the application as inadmissible.
However, the tribunal mentioned that since ZI Khan Panna is a senior lawyer, the possibility of appointing him as a lawyer for an absconding accused in another case will be considered later, said Mizanul Islam.
